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Rating: NC-17 Beta: Bluewolf Illustration: Shar Author's E-mail: rogue_ch@juno.com Author's Webpage: None Author's Note: Due to the fact that I needed to use the German language in this shortie and I'm a U.S. English speaking American, it fell to me to beg on my knees as humbly as I could for Germanic assistance. Thanks go to the lovely Rike and Suse for offering me their help and support. Without them, this story would've gone blooey. And not in a nice way, either. |
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I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; I saw three
ships come sailing in, on Christmas Day in the morn-ing....
Jim paused in the process of hanging up his coat and scarf to look around the loft after he'd come in through the front door. Christmas was a week and a half away; his and Blair's home had been turned into a festive atmosphere, yet soothingly toned down. He smiled as he took in the tiny, multi-colored lights that had been strung up around the balcony doors and even twined up the railing leading to their bedroom above. A fire blazed and crackled in the fireplace, giving the apartment a cozy, warm appearance. Holly boughs and pine boughs mixed prettily in different corners of the apartment, putting out a pleasant, mellow scent that didn't aggravate his sense of smell. The Christmas Carol that was playing on the stereo was set at a comfortable volume level and he liked the tune. He smelled something good in the kitchen and easily identified the dinner as roast chicken, fresh bread, and steamed mixed vegetables. There was a pot of real cocoa, not that instant stuff, simmering on the stovetop, and it made him grin. Leave it to Sandburg, Jim thought affectionately as he toed out of his soggy boots and socks. The snow's coming down thick and fast and he knows I want something hot and tasty for dinner and a relaxing evening. He really comes through for me most times. I'll have to spoil him at some point this week. Just then, the toilet in the bathroom flushed and the water in the sink was run. A moment later, Blair came out of the bathroom and he grinned delightedly when he saw his roommate. "Jim! Hey, man, you're home! Just in time for dinner." "Yeah, smells like it. Smells damn good, too," Ellison said with a grin. He walked into the kitchen, rubbing his hands eagerly as he took a deep, appreciative sniff. "And cocoa for in front of the fire, right?" Sandburg shot his partner a teasing grin. "You got it, big guy. Sit down and I'll dish up." "I can get my own, you know." "I do know. I also know you've probably had a long, tiring day and had to spend it slogging around in the slush while I was sitting in a cozy library. Speaking of which, didn't you notice what's sitting by the fire?" Jim turned to look at the fireplace again and this time saw something that made him grin. "Fire-warmed slippers?" Blair laughed. "Yup. You know how cold my feet get, and I figured you might enjoy the comfort, too. Go on and slip them on, man." Chuckling, Jim went over to the fireplace. Sitting on the brick hearth were two pairs of slippers. One pair was dark blue terry cloth lined with fleece. Those were Jim's. The other was a pair of big gray mice complete with big brown eyes, red ears, nose, and long whiskers. He began laughing outright when he saw them. "Sandburg, where did you dig these up?!" he asked as he put on his own slippers and then brought Blair's over to him. Blair grinned from where he was setting a plate laden with chicken and veggies at Jim's spot on the table. "Naomi sent 'em last week. I decided to try them out today when it got extra damp and chilly." Jim grinned and then stood beside his friend and bent over at the waist. "Balance on me," he said, and took hold of Blair's right ankle. The younger man's feet encased in thick woolen socks. "Jim, man, what're you...?" Sandburg laughed as he placed his hand on the sentinel's broad back for balance. "What do you think, Darwin? Now lift up." Snickering, Blair let Jim lift his foot up and a moment later, his laughter turned to appreciative moans as a very warm and comfortable mouse slipper was placed on his foot. "Ahhhh..." he sighed. "'Scuse me while I bliss out, man." "Not yet; still got the other foot, Junior," Jim replied, and he reached across Blair's lower body to lift the left foot. He quickly slipped the other mouse onto that foot and his grin widened when he heard the happy whimper coming from his young lover. Straightening up, he felt extremely pleased with himself when he saw the totally "blissed out" expression on Sandburg's face. "Feel better, Chief?" Blair opened his eyes slowly and gave the other man a lazy, luxurious grin. Jim felt his heart beat faster and he got it under control as the younger man said, "Ohhhh, yeah. That feels great. How 'bout you?" Wiggling his toes, Ellison replied, "It's great, Chief. Thanks; it was a good idea." "Ready for dinner?" "If you cooked it, Blair, I'm always ready for dinner." "Aw, you sweet talker, you. Just for that, I'll do kitchen clean-up, too." Jim paused and looked hard at his guide. "Okay, Sandburg, spill it. What are you buttering me up for?" Blair paused and frowned slightly. "Why do you say that, Jim?" "Because every time you get extra domestic and helpful around here, you want something out of me. So, what is it this time?" Blair's frown deepened. "Way to make the Christmas Spirit, man. Fine, I'll tone it down. Far be it from me to try to do something nice for you just because I thought you'd appreciate it." The younger man sighed. "Go on and eat, Jim. I'm not very hungry any more." He turned and began heading for the study that used to be his old room. Jim sighed in exasperation at himself and he stepped forward, catching Blair by his arm and pulling him back around. "Chief... Blair, wait." When the younger man was facing him once again, he offered a small smile. "You're right; I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snipe at you like that. I really don't have any excuse for it. Please, stay and eat with me? I'm sorry, really." The guide smiled at his partner, forgiveness instantly radiating from those pretty blue eyes. "Yeah, man, don't worry about it. I'm sorry, too. Didn't mean to be a downer." Then he dropped his gaze to the floor, glancing back up from under his lashes with a shy expression that melted Jim's heart faster than a speeding ticket. "We cool?" "Like you said, babe, don't worry about it. We're all right. Right?" "Right." A few moments later, they were sitting down to dinner. Jim told Blair about his day, the Guide made comments and observations that he thought might help his Sentinel, and then he chattered on about the last day of school before winter break. Jim merely sat there, eating dinner and listening with a grin as he watched his energetic and happy lover. It's times like these I'm thankful he came into my life, the older man thought. I don't know what I did right, but it must've been good. Thank God for Blair. And with that, they continued their meal together.
Jim sat on the couch nearest the fire, the book he'd been reading lying abandoned on his lap. At the moment, he was letting his head rest against the back of the couch, his hearing slightly dialed up as he listened to Blair singing Christmas carols while drying the dishes. Currently, the younger man was utilizing his deep, pleasantly rich voice in a good rendition of Walking in a Winter Wonderland.
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
Gone away, is the bluebird.
In the meadow we can build a snowman
Later on, we'll conspire As he listened to Blair switch to "Silent Night", Jim became aware of the effect his guide's voice was having on his body. Warmth flooded through him, a tingling awareness that centered in his heart and in his groin. Closing his eyes, he groaned silently, luxuriating in the feeling. It had been a long, hard couple of weeks; last minute papers and exams happening at Rainier for Blair and the usual Christmas madness happening among the criminal element combining to keep the two of them so exhausted, they rarely had time to even cuddle a bit before falling asleep hard and fast. However, sometimes, like now, he had the time and energy to react to the beautiful young man with more than an almost unbearable surge of emotion. That smooth voice was making his cock sit up and take notice and it was going to get extremely painful in a very short while if he didn't do something about it now. Maybe Blair wouldn't mind forgoing the kitchen clean-up for a different kind of cleansing.... "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht..." That got Jim's attention. "Sandburg? Since when did you speak German?" Blair turned from placing the last of the dishes in its proper place and walked into the living area to stand behind the couch, wiping his hands dry. He grinned at his friend. "I speak a smattering of it, but the only part of the language I can do decently enough not to mangle is singing 'Silent Night'. It was originally German, did you know? Naomi dated a German man once and he sang it for Christmas. He taught it to me because I liked it." "Wow..." Jim said softly. Here was yet another facet of his partner he hadn't known and, like all the others, it sparkled entertainingly. "It sounds beautiful. It's really German?" "What, the Carol? Yup. The words to "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" -- otherwise known as "Silent Night, Holy Night" -- were composed on Christmas Eve in 1818 by Josef Mohr, a young Austrian village priest. Mohr then presented the poem to his church's organist, who composed the music that same day, just in time for the choir to sing the carol at midnight Mass. A family of traveling folk singers brought the song to the United States in 1839, and by the mid-19th century it had become popular around the world." Jim smiled and settled into the couch. "Can't stop teaching, huh, Darwin?" Blair laughed. "Nope." "Well, it was very interesting. Blair, would you... no, never mind." "What, Jim?" the younger man asked softly. Lifting his head, Jim looked back at Blair and said, "Would you mind singing it for me? In German, the way you like it?" Blair grinned. "No problem, Jim. Hang on and let me get comfy, okay?" Jim nodded and he settled in to wait. Finally, after a few minutes, Blair returned with two mugs of cocoa that he'd reheated and added creamer and marshmallows to. Jim had heard him taking a long drink of water and now he watched, cradling his mug in his hands as his lover settled into the other corner of the couch. He smiled when Blair pulled down the afghan to cover his legs -- he was constantly cold -- and then cleared his throat carefully. When those blue eyes met his with a quick, questioning glance, Jim nodded his readiness for Blair to begin. Blair sighed, closed his eyes, and then took a deep breath and began.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Jim listened in silence, his sensitive ears clearly hearing his friend's voice twist and mold itself around the German language. He enjoyed the richness and timbre of Blair's voice, the foreign, exotic words that he didn't know the translation of, and the feeling of contentment that flowed over him upon hearing it. When Blair finally finished the classic carol, Jim smiled and toasted his friend with his mug. Blair blushed and picked up his own mug and took a careful sip of the cocoa. "Very, very nice, Blair. Can you translate it into English?" Ellison asked quietly. "Well, yeah, but it won't be the version you've grown up knowing," the younger man replied with a shrug. "Whaddya mean?" "I mean that the literal translation won't make a heck of a lot of sense to someone who speaks constant American English. And I wouldn't be able to sing it that way." Jim was silent for a moment, then grinned and shrugged. "Well, okay, I guess. Being the American that I am, I guess I prefer the version I know, but the lyrics in the original German are quite beautiful." Sandburg grinned and nodded. "They're Austrian, just to be specific about it. But you're right, they are nice." The older man found himself staring at his partner, and when Blair looked at him questioningly, he smiled and held out his arm in invitation. Blair immediately answered with a blinding grin and shifted up from his seat. He handed his mug to his Sentinel and then settled down next to Jim, snuggling in close to the bigger man, tucking the afghan about them, then took his mug back. Jim draped his arm around Blair's shoulders and squeezed tight. Blair always enjoyed their snuggling sessions. Jim was usually a loner, touching him a lot and letting Blair touch him, but not prone to full-body closeness unless sex or deep intimacy was involved. These occasions when the older man invited him to be very close always delighted him and made him shiver with emotion. They sat together in silence, Jim idly toying with his lover's hair and Blair resting his head against the other man's muscular shoulder. Eventually, they finished their cocoa and with matching grins, they got up and headed into the kitchen. Jim leaned against the pillar that was situated between the kitchen and living area and watched as his friend began refilling their mugs. He blinked, surprised, when Blair glanced at him, then over his head, and grinned mischievously. Looking up, Jim was surprised to see mistletoe hanging over his head. He chuckled and cast a sardonic look at his partner. "Real cute, Sandburg." "Hey, I'm not the one who's continuing to stand there, knowing what standing there invites," the younger man sassed. Ellison raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? You think I'm inviting you to kiss me?" Blair paused and gave his friend a deep, searching look. "Are you?" "Maybe. If you think you can handle it," Jim replied, his voice going deeper, quieter. Sandburg raised an eyebrow at that and then began strolling closer to his partner. "I'm pretty sure I can handle kissing you, Jim. Question is, think you can handle it if I kiss you?" "I'm the one who's had a long day here, Sandburg. If I think I can handle it, then I'm pretty sure I can." Standing directly in front of the Sentinel, Blair looked up at the other man. "So it's nothing important then, Jim?" he asked quietly. "Just 'I will, if you will'?" Reaching out, he cupped Blair's face in his hands and gently pulled his lover even closer, so their bodies pressed together lightly. Stroking those angular, stubbled cheeks, Jim locked his gaze with Blair's. "It is important, Blair. Very, very important...." His eyes heavy lidded, the younger man whispered, "So, what are you waiting for, man? It doesn't get much more inviting than this..." Jim smiled. "That's where you're wrong, Blair. You have no idea how inviting you look when you look like this..." he whispered back, shivering at the rush of warmth to his heart and groin, ecstatic that finally, finally he had the time and luxury to make love with this man. He slowly lowered his head toward that lush, utterly carnal mouth that had been haunting his daydreams for weeks. And they both leaped back just before their lips could meet when the shrilling of the telephone ringing harshly interrupted them. Cursing fluently and prolifically, Jim stomped over to where the cordless sat and snatched it up. He thumbed it on and barked, "Ellison!" "Jim, it's me, Simon. We have a situation down here at the waterfront. We have Healey holed up down in the paint warehouse thanks to that tip Sandburg found for us yesterday. He has some heavy artillery, but nobody's been hit yet. Get down here and see if you can take him out using those senses of yours." Jim sighed. "Understood. Right away, sir." He hung up and then quickly reached down and pulled off his slippers. "They've got Healey cornered in the paint supply warehouse down by the docks. Simon wants me to there so I can use my senses to take him out before he nails anyone with the heavy artillery he has," he explained in terse words to his waiting Guide. Blair said nothing, merely ran up to their room. Jim heard him thrashing and thumping around, pulling off his slippers and getting into his other pair of heavy weather boots. Blair tossed a clean, dry pair of thick socks over the railing to Jim, who slipped them on and then struggled back into his damp boots that were by the door. A minute later, they both had their coats and scarves on and were flying out the front door, Jim's gun tucked securely into the shoulder holster he'd shrugged into.
From his hidden dark spot by one of the broken out warehouse windows Mark Healey watched the cops milling around and the SWAT guys located at various points. He knew snipers were trained on his location, but they couldn't see him. He had chosen his vantage point well. He glowered at the law enforcement officials. This all could have been avoided; he could have easily slipped out of Cascade, if it hadn't been for a certain police observer named Sandburg. According to his leak at the department, this Sandburg kid had figured him out using his background knowledge of Anthropology and Psychology. For one brief moment, Healey wished he weren't so human as to be so predictable, so patterned, but he knew that was impossible. Human nature was what it was, including the criminal element. And he knew he was a criminal; he enjoyed it. He had no use for these superficial laws that were in place. People like him would always be around and would always slip through the system. More vehicles were arriving and he lifted his long-range binoculars to take a look, curious as to whom else the police had called in to bring him down. His jaw dropped when he saw the blue-and-white pickup truck pull in with a screeching halt and he saw the passengers. He watched them climb out of the truck and a grin stretched his face. "Well, well... Ellison and Sandburg. Nice of you to join the festivities, gents." Setting down the binoculars, he reached for the hi-powered rifle he had set down beside him. Hefting it to his shoulder, he peered through the scope as he tracked the two men. One of them in particular.
Jim and Blair arrived at the docks in record time. Blair had already cautioned Jim ahead of time about dialing down his sight and hearing, since it was nighttime and the lights would reflect brilliantly and the noise level would be harsh. Once the truck skidded to a stop, they scrambled out of the cab and began to run towards the car Simon Banks was crouched behind. As they passed a small blockade of crates, Jim stopped and reached out and halted Blair as well. "Chief, I want you to stay here behind these crates. If his artillery is as heavy as it's supposed to be, I want you far enough away that you have some decent cover. You can guide me from here, okay?" "Jim, no, please, I need to be with you--" Blair began, and found Jim's finger pressed to his lips, silencing him. He glanced down at the finger and then up at the man it belonged to. Ellison smiled and then shifted his hand to cup his partner's chin gently. "I need you to be with me, too, Chief. More than that, though, I need you to be safe. Don't worry; I'll be careful, and I'm trusting you to guide me the right way, like you always do. Okay, Blair?" Sandburg sighed and nodded, closing his eyes. They snapped open again when he felt a quick kiss brushed across his forehead. He watched Jim smile at him again and then the Sentinel turned and jogged away towards Simon. Blair watched him go with an anxious expression, hoping his friend and partner whom he loved more than anything would be okay.
Healey grinned ferally and lifted the rifle slightly as he took aim at the observer's head. He cocked the rifle and said, "So long, Sandburg; thanks for nothin'!"
Jim froze as he heard a voice from the darkened recesses of the warehouse growl: So long, Sandburg; thanks for nothin'! "Oh, God, no," he whispered, his face paling even as Simon stalked forward, calling his name. Whirling around, he began running back towards his friend. "Sandburg! Blair! Get down!" he bellowed as the startled young man began to move towards him. Putting on a burst of speed, he tackled his friend just as a sharp crack reverberated in his ears and he felt a searing pain plow through his upper back on his right side. He fell to the ground, Blair beneath him, and he shuddered as the pain spasmed through his chest and back. Then everything darkened and he slipped into the blessed relief of unconsciousness.
"Jim! Jim!!" Blair screamed as he wriggled beneath the heavy, limp weight atop him, barely noticing the graze in his right shoulder from where the bullet had torn through his skin on the way through. All around him he could hear the chatter of automatic weapons fire as the cops began shooting at the hidden figure in the warehouse. Knowing that Healey had them targeted most likely and could easily pick them off like this, Blair gathered his strength and heaved up, rolling himself and Jim to the side. He whimpered, tears pooling in his eyes as he saw the bloody mess that was Jim's upper body and then dragged his partner further behind the crates and the low concrete wall they rested on, hoping it would provide adequate shelter. "Oh God, oh God, oh God," he chanted as he quickly checked over his friend. "Jim, oh Jim, please be alive. Please be alive...!" In the background, he heard Simon roaring over a radio that an officer was down, medical assistance required. Blair yanked off his jacket to pillow it beneath his partner's head and then pulled off the two sweaters he had been wearing, leaving himself in a long-sleeved T-shirt with a short-sleeved T-shirt directly over that one. He ruthlessly ignored the cold as he used his sweaters to make pressure bandages over the entry and exit wounds in Jim's upper back and chest. He flinched a moment later when the noise of a large, startling explosion tore through the area. Blair instinctively clapped his hands over Jim's ears to muffle the pain the Sentinel's heightened hearing would undoubtedly pick up. Once the worst of it had passed, Blair went back to holding the sweaters pressed firmly to Jim's body. A few minutes later, Simon was crouched beside him. "Blair! Blair, are you okay? What about Jim?" "He must have heard Healey taking aim at me, or something. He tackled me and that's when he got hit. The bullet went right through him, Simon! Oh, God, Simon, help!" "Blair, calm down," Simon said, moving to put pressure on the wound in Jim's back as others began gathering around them. "You know how crazy Jim gets when he thinks you're upset. You gotta keep it together, kid; keep cool, don't do anything to get him all stirred up." Simon knew Jim was deeply unconscious and wasn't aware of anything, but he had to give Blair something to focus on before the younger man fell to pieces. Drawing in a shaky breath, Blair nodded and forced himself to relax. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, okay, I can do that. Oh, God... Jim, please be okay...." Nearly ten minutes later, the ambulance that had been called to the scene sped off with the injured detective and anthropologist inside, followed quickly and closely by a very worried and concerned police captain.
Simon Banks sighed as, much later that evening, he walked into the room in the hospital that housed his best detective, unsurprised at the sight that met his tired eyes. Blair sat very close to Jim's bed, holding one of the older man's hands, staring at that pale, rugged face as his thumb stroked soothingly over the sensitive skin on the back of Jim's hand. "Blair," Simon said quietly as he entered the room. Sandburg looked over his shoulder at the approaching captain and gave the tall man a tired smile. "Hey, Simon. Good even--" Pausing to check his watch, Blair corrected himself when he saw the time. "Good morning. Aren't you up kind of late at three in the morning?" "Mornin', kid. It's not like I'm going to get any sleep right now anyway; might as well come check up on you two. Has he woken up yet?" "No. The doctors think sometime later today or early tomorrow." "Sounds about right. Can you tell if anything is... off?" Blair understood the question and he shook his head. "So far as I know, everything is fine with his senses," he said quietly. "I won't really know for sure until he wakes up, but so far, he's reacted to each small test I've tried. Had to peel back his eyelids, but when the light hit his eyes, they jerked away. They don't do that when he's zoned. He reacted to the little bit of chocolate pudding a nurse gave me that I put on my finger; he's reacted to my touch, to my voice, and to my scent. So, no, I'm not worried about him too awfully much, senses-wise." "That's good," Simon said, easing down into the second chair in the room after pulling it closer to the bed. "How are you holding up?" "My shoulder aches like a bitch of a bag of a thing, but other than that, and worrying about him, I'm fine. Thank God classes are over for winter break." "Yeah. The doctors don't think he'll be out of here in time for Christmas, though." "I figured. He got hit pretty hard by Healey's bullet. Speaking of whom..." "Dead. That explosion you heard was paint thinner that was hit when the smoke grenade a SWAT guy threw in went off. It was unplanned, but Healey won't be going anywhere or hurting anyone ever again," Simon said with firm conviction. Blair sighed and nodded and went back to stroking Jim's hand some more. "You okay with that?" Banks asked. "I'll have to be. I mean, I'm not happy he's dead, but I'm not sad about it, either. It might even be a good thing he is, because I would have tried my best to get to him so I could beat the shit out of him for hurting Jim." "I'll pretend I didn't hear that, mister," the captain growled. "None of my men ever pull such stupid stunts, and they're not about to start." Blair gave a tiny smile to that statement and continued to stroke Jim's hand. Simon sighed again. "I figured it would be totally pointless in asking you to leave to get some rest --" "You guessed right --" "-- so I brought you a change of clothes, the afghan from the sofa at your place, some reading material, and I stopped at a convenience store and got a ham sandwich for you and a bottle of water. I know it's not much, but it'll have to do." Blair smiled gratefully at the older man. "Merry Christmas to you, too, Simon. That's better than perfect, man, thanks. Would you watch over him while I go clean up?" The captain nodded and Blair turned back to Jim as he stood up. "Jim, man, I'm gonna go get cleaned up now. Simon's going to sit with you and keep you company, and then I'll be back, okay? Be good in the meantime, big guy." Leaning down, he pressed a quick kiss to the older man's forehead, then stepped away. Grabbing up the duffel bag Simon held out to him, he scooted into the bathroom and locked the door. After a few moments of rustling and thumping, Banks heard the shower start up. Sitting in the vacated chair wearily, Simon sighed yet again. "Jim, I understand why you did what you did. But it would certainly help this old heart of mine -- and save me from a few more ulcers -- if you could somehow manage to find other ways to save him. It's not like I enjoy seeing either one of you hurt and lying in a hospital. Anyway, the doctors said you won't be out of here in time for Christmas. I know that must suck, so I talked to the rest of the unit about stopping in to see you. And I can help Blair drag most of the presents over here if you want. I just hope you wake up sometime soon. However, that does not mean I want you to think you can hop right up and go gallivanting off to wherever the instant you do wake up, you hear me, mister?" Banks felt vaguely ridiculous talking to an unconscious man, but he knew as well as anyone else did that people did hear things in their sleep and there was no way Jim the Sentinel could miss a conversation directed towards him. Fortunately, Blair chose that moment to come out of the bathroom, dressed in clean clothing after having finished his shower and dried off somewhat. Simon started to stand, but Blair waved him back down. "Go ahead and rest, Simon. I'll eat over here." The younger man grabbed up the bag containing the food and moved over to the little table on wheels, where he laid out his meal and began consuming it with greedy, single-minded hunger. When Blair was done, he gathered up the trash and tossed it in the wastebasket, then said, "Simon, thanks for the visit and the things you brought, but you really ought to get home and get some sleep. Are you safe enough to drive?" The captain glared at his young consultant. "Of course I'm safe enough to drive!" he thundered. "Unlike some people, I don't push my limits when I know better!" Sandburg held up his hands. "Sorry, man, I'm just worried about you." That mollified Simon a bit. Softening his voice, he replied, "I know, Sandburg. Thanks. Okay, I'll get out of here. Me and some of the guys will stop by either tomorrow or the day after. We have a plan cooked up for Jim, since he's going to be stuck in here for Christmas." Blair grinned. "Cool. See you later, Simon; sleep well." The older man nodded, patted Blair on the back, then made his way out of the room to go home, leaving the guide with his sentinel. Blair pulled the afghan out of the bottom of the duffel bag that he'd hauled out of the bathroom with him and carefully spread it over Jim's sleeping form, tucking it up under his chin. He smiled as he watched the older man sniffle in his sleep, then relax further at this familiar scent from home that still bore Blair's scent on it. "That's it, man; you rest up and you'll be right as rain in no time." Settling into the chair again, Blair kept the small lamp by the bed aimed in his direction as he pulled out the book Simon had brought for him to read that he'd left on the coffee table. He grinned when he saw Jim's copy of the latest Jack Kerouac in the bag as well, then settled in to wait for his lover to wake up.
A few days later found Jim the center of attention on Christmas Eve as Rafe, H, Megan, Rhonda, Simon, and Daryl gathered in his room. Blair sat on the bed next to his partner as they all of them sang a Christmas Carol with varying degrees of tunefulness. Jim groaned theatrically and tried to stuff his pillows into his ears, knowing what a futile gesture that was, but he did genuinely appreciate the gesture. The doctor had come in earlier, attracted by the noise of their antics, and had reminded them all to keep it as quiet as possible as he accepted a small cup of Rhonda's homemade eggnog. Against one wall lay a plastic trash bag that was filled with the remains of wrapping paper and styrofoam packaging from the gifts everyone had brought Jim and Blair. The assortment ranged widely. There was a truly horrendous tie that H guaranteed would win Jim first place in the annual CPD Christmas "Ugliest Tie Contest". A couple of pairs of boxers with outrageous slogans and designs printed on them for both Jim and Blair. A long, comfortable looking red scarf for Jim and a rainbow striped one for Blair. A new CD of Santana's Greatest Hits -- which Jim was particularly effusive over -- and a CD of new "earth" songs for Blair -- which Jim was particularly dreading -- and gloves and other knicknacks. Blair had them all gathered in the ever present duffel bag and was happily singing along. When the song was over, Jim glanced around at everyone and said, "With the exception of Rhonda and Daryl, you people... suck." "Well, Merry Christmas to you, too!" H laughed. "I wouldn't say things like that when you're the one stuck in that bed with all of us surrounding you," Simon warned. "Oh, right. What are you going to do? Eggnog me to death?" Jim teased back. "Nah, we'll wrap you up in tinsel and bows and deliver you to the Children's Ward," Rafe shot back. Ellison shuddered. "No! Thank you! I'll behave, I promise." "Oh, not too good, I hope," Blair murmured under his breath, and grinned when his lover flashed him an incendiary look. Their friends stayed a little while longer and then they all began filing out, wishing Jim and Blair a Merry Christmas and to take care of themselves. When everyone had gone, the nurse stopped in quickly to check on her patient, smiled at the two handsome men, and left to finish her other rounds. Blair grinned wickedly to himself, thankful that his lover had a private room with no windows, and he went over and deliberately locked the door. "Uh, Blair? What are you doing, babe?" Jim asked, half-hoping, half-wondering at his partner's actions. The younger man came back over to the bed, grinning down at Jim. "Well, big guy, I'm going to give you one of your presents, now." "Oh, really?" Ellison's voice deepened and his expression became both seductive and anticipatory at once. "Yes, really," Blair purred. "Actually, it's a present for both of us, but I'm sure you'll like it." "I'm pretty sure I will, too," Jim agreed, his smile warm. "So what did you have in mind?" "Something that makes me particularly grateful that you are no longer hooked up to the pulse monitoring machines." "Ah, I see. Otherwise, we'd have nurses and doctors running in here, fearing that my life was in danger when actually..." "...it's just your sanity that's going to be threatened." Blair's grin was wild, wicked, and wonderful to the sentinel who loved him. "Sanity is so overrated," the older man declared firmly. "You said it." Then Blair stopped talking as he twitched aside the blankets that covered his lover and began stroking his palms up the length of Jim's long, strong legs. Jim shivered and let his head drop back against the pillows as his hospital gown was pushed up to his waist, exposing his now erect and needy cock to the coolness of the room. That didn't last long as Blair's warm hands enveloped him, smoothly stroking up and down, gathering the moisture that was pearling at the tip to help ease the friction. And then the heat became almost unbearable when Blair added first his tongue, then his lips, then his entire mouth into the fray. He reached down and held Blair's head still as he languidly lifted his hips repeatedly, slowly, carefully moving into that inviting warmth. When his young lover batted his hands away gently a few moments later, he released the younger man and then writhed anew when that agile tongue moved lower, teasing his balls and the entrance to his body. A moment later, Blair moved back up to his lover's cock and began sucking again, stroking his tongue against the head of Jim's cock, reaching up to hold his hips firmly. Jim groaned and began moving faster within the younger man's mouth, his hands clenching the sheets tightly as he pushed in and pulled out carefully. "Yeah," he sighed. "Yeah, oh yeah, you have the sweetest mouth, Chief...." Blair hummed his agreement and the sensation caused Jim to gasp. Eventually, he couldn't hold out any longer and he began shuddering as he whispered hoarsely, "Blair... babe, I'm gonna come...!" Increasing the motion and the suction, Sandburg invited his partner to do just that. Moments later, Jim lay panting breathlessly, helplessly, as he trembled from the near overwhelming surge of sensation his climax had brought him. Gaining some semblance of control, he gave a tiny smile when his inhalations conveyed the scent of Blair's spent semen and realized that his lover had come from giving him pleasure. Crawling up so that he could sit on the side of the bed and drape his upper body over the sentinel, Blair sighed as he snuggled his face against the older man's neck. "Did you like your present?" Jim smiled as he pressed a kiss to the top of Blair's head while wrapping his arms around the smaller man. "Very much so. I'll treasure it always. This is one gift that's never going to get exchanged." "Good, because it was specially tailored just for you. Definitely a one-of-a-kind CARE package." "The very best kind and when I get home, I'll give you yours." Jim's teasing voice was redolent with affection and warmth, making Blair shiver slightly. "Sounds good to me. For now, though, I'd better get you cleaned up before the nurse comes back in and has a cow at the sight of you all messed up and debauched like this." The younger man sighed reluctantly and sat up. "More to the point, Professor, she'll probably have a heart attack right on the spot at the sight of me all laid out and sexy like this," Jim shot back. "True. Hell of an overload on a person who's not used to you, and since you're all mine, that's quite a few people. And should she somehow survive the experience, I don't want you to have to bust me for murdering her due to insane jealousy --" "Bah, humbug, and then some --" "-- so I'd best get a move on." Blair gave his lover a grin and ducked into the bathroom. He returned a moment later with a warm, damp paper towel and a dry one and cleaned Jim up carefully, then pulled the hospital gown back down. Finally, he draped the blankets back over the contented man and tucked him in tightly. "So, now that I'm all settled, babe, what are you going to do about those?" Jim asked, pointing a finger at Blair's semen-stained jeans. "I came prepared; I've got a clean pair in the duffel bag." True to his word, the guide pulled them out and went back into the bathroom. He came back out a moment later in a pair of worn, faded denim jeans that clung lovingly to all the right places, making Jim sigh with even more content. Blair had just finished putting the soiled clothing away after unlocking the door when the nurse came back in. "Hello, boys. Just making my last check for the evening before going home. Did you have a nice time together?" the woman asked, moving to Jim's bedside. The two men shared a grin, knowing she was referring to the party earlier, but they both silently acknowledged that they did indeed have a nice moment together. "Yes, Nurse Strickland," Jim said smoothly, grinning at the woman. "My name is Carrie, Mr. Ellison. No relation to the Stephen King character, though." She smiled, showing off cute dimples, then took his pulse and wrote it into the chart, along with a short summary of his evident good health. Signing her initials and noting the time, she patted him comfortingly on his covered knee. "You take care, Mr. Ellison. You'll be out of here by the end of the day tomorrow. Christmas won't be totally lost." "I haven't considered it lost yet, Carrie. I've got everything I need, and that's all that matters," Ellison replied, his glance flicking over to Blair. Carrie grinned and then turned to go. Pausing next to Blair, she smiled at the young man and whispered, not knowing Jim could hear her, "That's a fine partner you have there. I wish you the best of luck with him. You're a lucky guy, Mr. Sandburg!" Blair blushed slightly as he smiled and nodded. Chuckling, Nurse Strickland went to the door. "Merry Christmas, gentlemen, and to both of you, goodnight!" Calling out "Merry Christmas!" to her, the two men wished her on her way and then turned their attention back to each other. Reaching out his hand, Jim took hold of Blair's and smiled tiredly. "I want you to go home and sleep in a warm, comfortable bed tonight, babe. Then you can come back tomorrow morning rested up and spend Christmas with me, if you want." "I'd rather stay here with you tonight, Jim," the guide responded instantly. "I don't want you to wake up alone in here on Christmas morning." The sentinel pulled his partner closer and his smile was grateful and relaxed as he said, "Blair, I understand, but truly, I'll be perfectly fine. It would do me good if you were at home, sleeping in our bed, snuggled up and toasty. I'll be just fine right here, until you come to get me." Blair sighed, then smiled. "Okay, okay. Besides, if I go home tonight, then I can come back with a few of our presents tomorrow morning and we can open them together. The rest can wait until you get home." Laughing, Jim reached up and lightly smacked the back of his hand against one of his lover's cheeks. "Chief, if all you bring me tomorrow is yourself and those gorgeous blue eyes of yours, I'll be the happiest man on earth. Now, head on home and get some sleep before it gets too awfully late, okay?" "All right. You take care of yourself, big guy," Sandburg admonished mock-sternly. "Aye-aye, sir," Ellison replied languidly. Blair leaned down and kissed his lover slowly, deliciously, and thoroughly. "Good boy," he murmured. Sighing, he planted one last kiss to Jim's forehead, then turned and gathered up his stuff after slipping on his heavy coat, scarf, gloves and hat. He looked at the other man one last time and grinned. "G'night, man. Merry Christmas." "G'night, Chief. Merry Christmas to you, too," Jim said with his own grin, then watched as his lover left the room, listening as his guide's footsteps went down the hall, exchanging good-byes and holiday salutations with the nurses at the station. He listened to that beloved heartbeat as it went down the stairs and out into the parking lot. Jim blinked when a moment later he heard Blair's voice reach his ears. I know you're listening to me, Jim. Rest yourself up and get some sleep, buddy. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you. "Love you, too, Blair," the sleepy sentinel murmured aloud, knowing his lover couldn't hear him but would know anyway that the emotion was returned. Then he closed his eyes and happily went to sleep, waiting for the next day to bring Christmas Morning and his love back to him.
"Winter Wonderland" (c) Dick Smith and Felix Bernard |